CHAPTER 36 #2
“But mostly because of River, huh?” Lacey teased. “You know she wasn’t the only woman I’ve been with, right?”
Cameron turned and gave her a glare.
“Possessive?” Lacey joked.
“Yes,” Cameron stated. “Especially because I haven’t even done that with you yet.”
“Yet?” she asked.
“I’m optimistic,” Cameron replied.
Not much else was said until they pulled up to the valet in the parking lot, which Lacey hadn’t anticipated but should have.
It was LA… Every decent restaurant had a valet in Los Angeles.
Cameron got out of the car and handed the guy her keys before she hurried to Lacey’s side, closed the door for her, and reached for Lacey’s hand.
“Cam,” Lacey whispered.
“Oh, shit. Sorry.”
Cameron dropped the hand she’d held out and nodded for Lacey to walk inside with her. Lacey gave the hostess her name, and they were sat right in the middle of the restaurant.
“I should have given them your name, huh?” she joked when she noticed half the restaurant staring at her date.
“I’m used to it, but we can ask to move, if you want.”
“It doesn’t bother me, but you’re still with Kennedy, according to the world.”
“The statement is going out tomorrow,” Cameron said. “It’ll be over soon.”
“But we can’t exactly be a couple the day after that. It would look bad for you, right?”
“Hello,” their server greeted. “Can I start you off with something to drink?”
“Can you give us just one minute?” Cameron asked.
“Cam, it’s fine. Can I get a water, please?”
“You only want water?”
“Right now, yes,” Lacey said.
“Okay. Two waters, please, and the chips and salsa.”
“Great. I’ll be right back,” the waiter replied and walked off, leaving them sort of alone, but Lacey looked around and noticed the phones aimed at them.
“It’s bothering you, isn’t it?”
“Not because I can’t handle it. I know what it means to be out with you, Cam.”
“Because they think I’m with someone else, but I’m here with you. There’s also this little red candle between us on the table, and the way I look at you, it’s pretty obvious that I’m into you.”
Lacey smiled softly and replied, “I love how you look at me.”
“So do I,” Cameron said. “This part really will be over soon, Lacey, but I didn’t think about the other part.”
“What other part?”
“We didn’t talk about whether we wanted to be out right away.
We had a pretty private first date, even though we were surrounded by people, and our second date was at your apartment.
Now, we’re in the middle of a restaurant, and Kennedy or no, people are going to want to know who you are and who you are to me.
Soon, we can tell them, but I should’ve asked if you even wanted this part. I didn’t, and I’m sorry.”
“I want to be with you,” Lacey told her. “But I hadn’t thought of that, either.”
“Lace, let’s go,” Cameron replied. “We can get a room. I just need to get my stuff from the house. If you don’t want to come in, that’s okay.”
“A hotel? Cam…”
“We can drive to your place. Traffic should have died down enough by now. I’ll drive.”
“What kind of date is that?”
“One with you, and that’s all I care about,” Cameron replied.
“Ma’am, would you like to move tables?” a man asked after approaching their table.
“Actually, I think we’re going to go. I didn’t realize it would be so busy in here tonight,” Cameron said. “Lacey, is that okay?”
“I can have your usual brought out to your car, if you’d like,” he said.
“Can I get two of them? And some extra chips and salsa, please.”
“Of course. I’ll have them wrap it up. My apologies for the table. I didn’t know you were coming in tonight, or I would have put you somewhere more private.”
“It’s okay,” Cameron replied and pulled out her wallet. “Thank you,” she added, handing him some cash.
Lacey had planned on paying tonight. Then again, she’d planned on a lot of things, and none of them were working out quite how she’d hoped.
“Give me a few minutes,” the man said and walked off.
“You really do come here a lot,” Lacey noted.
“He’s the manager, and I come here about once a month. I got you what I normally get, but if you don’t like it, we can stop somewhere else.”
“Cam, can we just call it?”
“Call what?” Cameron asked as two women walked up behind her, which meant that Cameron couldn’t see them yet, but Lacey could.
“Tonight,” Lacey said.
“Our date?”
“Our dinner,” Lacey corrected and nodded because the women were close enough to hear them now.
“Excuse me? Can we maybe get a picture with you?”
“I’m so sorry. My friend and I were just leaving,” Cameron said as she stood. “But you have a good night, okay?”
Lacey took the hint, stood up, and they walked through the restaurant and back outside, where she took a deep breath of the cool night air.
“And no, we can’t just call it,” Cameron stated then.
“What?”
“We’re going to your place, Lacey. I’ll stay there, and I’ll make you breakfast tomorrow. We’ll talk about this on the way to your apartment: the plan for the breakup announcement and what we want.”
Cameron handed the valet the ticket, and he ran off to get the car for them.
“Cam, it’s okay. I’m tired.”
“Lacey, will you be with me tomorrow?”
Lacey tilted her head and asked, “For what?”
“When it goes out.”
“The announcement?”
“I know you have clients in the afternoon, so I’ll make sure it goes out before that. I just… I don’t want to be alone.”
“Yes, I’ll be there,” she said, wanting to cup Cameron’s cheek.
“Can we stop by the house so that I can pack a bag and then get in your car and go? I’ll drive. I just… I don’t want to be there, either, Lacey.”
Lacey nodded.